Copyrighted Yeast

[ed_brews_now]

I walked into a brewpub today and talked to the brewer to see if I could get yeast from the bottom of the fermenter.

This brewpub is a chain and very commercial. The brewer said I likely could not have it. He was going to check -- I guess with the managers. He said the yeast strain is copyrighted.

Okay, supposing I was still intent on getting it. I know that their beer is not pasteurized and they claim unfiltered. (It is surprising how clear the beer is if it is not filtered.) Do you think sneaking in a sterile vial and an sterile eyedropper and then sampling the beer would give me anything to work on.

Love their beer. That is why I wanted to get the yeast.

 

[cfonnes]

Your mission should you choose to accept - - -

If you do it I suggest dark sunglasses and a trench coat. Tell you SWMBO that the mission is very dangerous and that she is to be the look out. Develop code words, and make sure that you synchronize your watches before going in.

 

[indigi]

If it's unfiltered you might be able to do it, but at those low concentrations it'd be hard to keep it from infection. If you can get a growler or some other larger-quantity of it to go, do that, cold crash it for a week or two, and try building a starter from the thin dusting of yeast that settles out like you would when harvesting from a bottle. That's probably your best option. Either way, good luck.

 

[Anubis]

You could try but stepping up from a few drops of beer would be quite the task. Also with how clear it sounds there would hardly be any yeast in suspension. I would try it though, just be extremely sterile about the process because you are working with a tiny amount, almost as much as you would harvest from a petri dish.

 

[Anubis]

If you can get a growler or some other larger-quantity of it to go, do that, cold crash it for a week or two, and try building a starter from the thin dusting of yeast that settles out like you would when harvesting from a bottle.

That's sounds like the best idea.

 

[Beerrific]

Is it really that special?

 

[fineexampl]

Is it really that special?

that's what i was thinking. doesn't seem worth the hassle IMO.

 

[bob1852]

Is it really that special?

that's what i was thinking. doesn't seem worth the hassle IMO.

Agreed. If the place is a chain (like you said), I doubt it's that "secret" of a yeast...

Go for it though!

 

[indigi]

It might not be the holy grail of yeast, but if they're not willing to hand some out to loyal customers, it could very well be proprietary. Even if it's a chain, I'm sure the brewer is knowledgable enough to be know if they were using a commercially available yeast.

Is it really that special?

He won't know until he gets his mitts on it, will he?


And even if it isn't, it'll still be a fun learning experience.

 

[ed_brews_now]

... If you can get a growler or some other larger-quantity of it to go...

Unfortunately they are only licensed as a brewpub. They have laws here that won't let them sell without another license.

 

[ed_brews_now]

Is it really that special?

I am pretty sure the strain is a Belgian strain. The beer has similar taste to Affligem. So I should be able to reproduce something similar without their yeast. Similar, but not exact.

I thought I would be able to walk in, ask, and walk out with a jar full. But they said it was "copyrighted" -- which in my mind it says that it is the secret ingredient. And secrets are invitation to discovery.

 

[indigi]

Get a one gallon cubitainer or something similar and sanitize the hell out of it. Have your wife or girlfriend empty her purse. Put the empty cubitainer in her purse, and bring a little spritzer of Star-San or something else if it can fit. Go to the brewpub with a few friends and have most of you keep getting the same beer. Surreptitiously fill up the cubitainer over dinner, or better yet, go on a big sports day where it'll be busy with lots of hustle and bustle to act as a distraction. Seal up the cubitainer, you're good to go with plan A.

 

[ed_brews_now]

Agreed. If the place is a chain (like you said), I doubt it's that "secret" of a yeast...

Go for it though!

This chain is big enough to have corporate lawyers and a lab. (What is the biggest chain of brew pubs in America?)

 

[ed_brews_now]

You could try but stepping up from a few drops of beer would be quite the task. Also with how clear it sounds there would hardly be any yeast in suspension.

They have a wheat beer too. It has much of the same characteristics of their pale -- except that it has that wheat beer sourish/fruitiness. So I am guessing this might be the same yeast strain. Is this possible to do a wheat with the same strain as for pale? The pale beer is definitely in the Belgian/French tradition. So is the wheat, definitely.

The wheat has the suspension and is certainly not filter. So may be this is the better approach to get the same yeast. But my question is: would they use the same yeast in the Wit as the Pale?

 

[ed_brews_now]

... you're good to go with plan A.

How about plan Z. Go through their garbage -- what could I look for?

 

[sudbuster]

They have a wheat beer too. It has much of the same characteristics of their pale -- except that it has that wheat beer sourish/fruitiness. So I am guessing this might be the same yeast strain. Is this possible to do a wheat with the same strain as for pale? The pale beer is definitely in the Belgian/French tradition. So is the wheat, definitely.

The wheat has the suspension and is certainly not filter. So may be this is the better approach to get the same yeast. But my question is: would they use the same yeast in the Wit as the Pale?

Yeah, I agree. Go for it,man. "copyrighted"?? Did they write out the dna chains for the stuff? Patented? maybe, but not likely. They just want to keep it secret. All the more reason to get you hands on it.

 

[ed_brews_now]

Their beer are all ales. Thye ferment at room temperature for 3-7 days. Then the chill at 3 degrees C (what is that 36 degrees F?) under pressure. I guess that is what clarifies it. It is 10 day beer -- they serve on the tap only. That is quick beer.